Daily Blessings

Journal Entry February 5, 2004

“Made trip to GA-snow, sleet, freezing rain, wind, & traffic but God brought me through.  I drove a Nissan Altima-nice car.  Got to Pat’s around 4 p.m.  Rebecca and Carter were there and I met Catherine.”

Thoughts for Cheri:  

“I had a wonderful trip to GA.  I drove down in all kinds of weather except for hail.  I had snow, sleet, freezing rain, heavy rain, light rain, mist, and wind.  I also had maybe one minute of sunshine.  But I made it and I never panicked; I just kept rolling.  God took me through.  It is amazing how much more confidence I have in myself now that I am not being made to feel inept and stupid.”

Talk about a blessing from God!  This entire trip touched my life in so many ways.  I’ll be writing about it this whole week. 

First of all I want to thank my sister for inviting me to come and for enabling me to have such a wonderful total experience.  This was such a treat for someone who had not been loved or pampered for so many years.  Even today, thirteen years later I get teary eyed when I remember this weekend.

Let’s start with the trip down.  Wow!  What a ride that was!  I woke up that morning in Louisville to snow.  Picked up my car at Enterprise and headed out.  “I had snow, sleet, freezing rain, heavy rain, light rain, mist, and wind.”  I am not exaggerating.  Started with snow and as I drove south it gradually changed as the temperature rose.  What you have to know is I was constantly criticized for my driving when I was married so I was scared to drive in bad conditions.  This trip was different.  Before I pulled out of the lot I asked God for safe travel and a calm spirit as I drove.  He answered immediately.  I took my time, stayed with the flow of traffic, and all was well.  That’s why I could say: “God brought me through.” 

“I also had maybe one minute of sunshine.”  I remember this well.  Almost as soon as I crossed the state line from Tennessee into Georgia the sun peeked out for a moment and then the skies darkened again.  I didn’t know it then but it was a little glimpse of the sunshine God was going to bring into my life that weekend. 

“It is amazing how much more confidence I have in myself now that I am not being made to feel inept and stupid.”  God had done such a great work in me in such a short period of time.  I still had a long way to go, in fact I still do today because He’s not finished with me yet.  But to see the miracles He had place in my life to help me not only heal but to flourish is amazing. 

“I met Catherine.”  There are three women God brought into my life who I call the “3 C’s”.  Cheri is one, Catherine is the second.  Later you will meet Charlotte.  Catherine is my sister’s friend (and now thankfully mine!) who has spent her professional life helping others through counseling and other ministries.  In one of my previous posts I described a short phone conversation I had with her in which she enabled me to accept a time of healing so that God could fill my cup that had been empty for so long.  Her words gave me permission to just be with Him for a season without feeling guilty.  I had never met her in person so this was a treat. 

Tomorrow I’ll write more about my weekend.  For today I just want to focus on how the little things in one day can have a major impact on one’s life.  My driving in bad weather, God’s answer to my prayer, the one burst of sunshine, and meeting Catherine in person all contributed to my journey of healing.  God was replacing the years I lost myself with beautiful moments of blessing and joy.  He was doing for me just as He promised the children of Israel:

He is still doing so to this day.

Father,

Thank You for the “little” touches with which You bless my life.

Open my eyes to the mercies that are new every morning.

Enable me to daily make a small difference in the lives of those around me.

In Jesus’ Precious Name,

Amen